Weehawken/Alpine Mine Overlook Trail

 

I sent an email to Mark the evening of our bike ride and asked if they planned to hike the next day. I had read about the Weehawken/Alpine Mine Overlook trail and wondered if it might be worth doing since it was just a few miles from Ouray and rain was predicted after noon. Mark wrote back that it was in the woods, not very interesting, and they hadn’t hiked it in many years but would give it a try. Who am I to pick a trail based on reading about it on the internet when Mark and Bobbie know most of the trails around Ouray like the back of their hands, but Chris, Jim and I agreed to meet them at the trailhead at 8:30, driving through rain on the way. By the time we got to the trail on Camp Bird Road the rain had stopped and there were patches of blue sky, so off we went.

As is the norm on the trails in these parts, we began climbing immediately, and continued doing so for most of the 2.8 miles to the overlook. As it turned out, Mark and Bobbie had previously taken the Weehawken Creek trial at the fork where we turned off to go to the mine, so they had never actually been on this part of the trail. I have a feeling this will be one of those trails they return to again and again, as the overlook was even better than expected. It’s quite a workout, gaining 2,200’ in those 2.8 miles. But it was more than worth the effort and skinned knee I got when my foot slipped off the edge of the trail coming back down.

Even though the trail is mostly through the forest it is very open and we had views of the mountains much of the way.

What’s left at Alpine Mine.

We finally made it to the overlook.

Mark powered up the last climb well ahead of the rest of us and we found him sitting on a rock below the overlook taking in the views, or maybe getting ready to jump.

We had quite a commanding view of Lovely Ouray.

A rain shower passed over town while we ate lunch on the edge.

Jim did some exploring on a ledge that made us nervous.

And took our picture from down there.

Now you see us.

Mark followed Jim later.

We managed to get back down the trail with only a few drops of rain, another excellent hike, one that would be even better on a clear day.